After missing out on Mark Viduka, who completed a Bosman free transfer from Middlesbrough to Newcastle United last night, they are weighing up alternatives.

And the #4million-rated Mido is high on Blues boss Steve Bruce's list of potential new strikers.

In fact, Mido was under consideration even before the board decided to rubber-stamp a #60,000-a-week salary offer to Viduka.

But having a drawn a blank with the Australian international, Mido is now firmly back on the agenda.

Mido - real name Ahmed Hossam - is unhappy at White Hart Lane after falling to fourth in the pecking order behind Robbie Keane, Jermain Defoe and #10.9million Dimitar Berbatov, whose arrival a year ago and subsequent success really pushed his nose out of joint.

On the transfer window deadline day in January, he was half-an-hour from a #4m transfer to Manchester City only for Spurs manager Martin Jol to pull the plug after Mido performed impressively and scored in the Carling Cup semi-final at Arsenal.

But Mido knows his chances of regular football remain limited at Spurs and in a television interview in his homeland last month he said that signing permanently after an 18-month loan from AS Roma was a 'big mistake'.

Mido added: "I would be lying if I said I am happy at Spurs. Any player who doesn't play will not feel happy.

"I am contracted for four years with Tottenham. But if I get a good offer, then I will be in another place next season."

Mido, 24, has scored goals wherever he has been, but controversy has never been far away either. He has been booted out of the national team twice, latterly after reacting badly to being substituted in Egypt's semi-final win over Senegal in the 2006 African Cup of Nations.

He was given a six-month ban after his ruck with coach Hassan Shehata but after apologising watched from the bench as they defeated Ivory Coast in the final on penalties.

At Ajax, his goalscoring record (21 in 40 league matches) was overshadowed by clashes with coach Ronald Koeman and an incident when he allegedly threw a pair of scissors at Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

But Blues and Bruce have shown a willingness to try and tame temperamental players and so-called 'bad boys'.

Mido began his career with Zamalek in Egypt before moving to Genk in Belgium and then Ajax of Holland. Spells at Spain's Celta Vigo and Marseille in France followed before he went to Roma.

He joined Spurs on loan in January 2005 from the Italians - ironically Blues were also considering him then - and scored twice in nine Premiership outings.

In 2005-06 he fired 11 goals in 27 league games as Spurs finished fifth, just missing out on a Champions League place.

This season he made just seven Premiership starts with one goal.

Atletico Madrid are said to be keen, but Manchester City's interest is dampening as they seek new owners and a new manager.

Mido's strength and physique - he's 6ft 2in and excellent in the air - could offer Blues the kind of mobile target man for others to play off they have been crying out for.